So I had a baby
This story starts Monday May 13, 2013, the first day I started getting contractions.
Contractions were about 20 minutes apart and started getting to about 15 minutes when I arrived for my weekly appointment with my midwife. I was checked and was dilated 1cm with no effacement and baby was at a station -3 (basically not far along at all). It was just a waiting game at this time but by the time I got home, my contractions had stopped all together. I wouldn’t feel anymore contractions until Friday of that week, which were about 15 minutes apart before they stopped in the evening.
My contractions would come an go as they pleased for the next week which was not very nice because they would stop me in my tracks. At my 39 week midwife appointment I checked in at a 2cm dilation with some effacement and a -1 station. At this point we took matters into our own hands and started Project Get Baby Out. PGBO basically consisted of sex, walking and Evening Primrose Oil. Trying to have sex at this stage is pretty damn ridiculous, it’s like directing traffic… not sexy at all. We were 5 days away from my due date and figured what the hell, might as well try everything we could to get the process started.
I was awaken by contractions early Friday morning, 3am to be exact, one day away from my due date. This seemed promising since contractions were about 10 minutes apart and were pretty strong. We continued our day like any other just trying to keep ourselves busy because most likely this was another false start. My MIL picked up Zo so we could go out and watch a movie and have some free time alone. We got home just in time to tuck Zo in for bed and after having a conversation with the midwife we decided to just head into the birthing center. My contractions were about 8 minutes apart by this time. I jumped in the shower, we packed our bags and were off at 12am.
We arrived to the birthing center and were told there was another woman in labor so they would check me out to see how far along I was. This time I was 3cm, 80%effaced and -1 station. I had the option to stay in labor room #2 or go home and relax until things progressed a bit more. Unfortunately we live 40 minutes away from the birthing center so we decided to get a hotel room nearby.
I was able to rest a bit but contractions were pretty strong and our neighbors were getting all freaky at 4am. We woke up bright and early on my due date and went for a walk and picked up some breakfast. My contractions were starting to stall out at this point and they had no rooms available for that evening (or anywhere else in the area) so I called my doula for back up because I was starting to doubt that today would be the day. We needed to have a plan so we met up for lunch and decided on getting checked one more time before heading home. I was now 4cm 100% effaced and 0 station. At this point I had the option to have my membranes stripped so I figured, what the hell… OUCH! All that needed to happen now was for me to dilate but this was taking a long time. My doula suggested I go get adjusted by a chiropractor (webster technique) so I did.
It was 3:30pm and I wanted to take a nap so we found a hotel that had only one room available for the night so we checked in and my husband went out to get me something to eat. At that moment I started getting contractions that were so strong but still about 7-8 minutes apart. I waited about 30 minutes to really trust that these contractions were going to stick. My husband got back and I told him I wasn’t feeling right because nausea started kicking in and I started shaking. We called the doula and midwife to describe this and they basically told me I was going through transition, that we needed to get to the birthing center asap.
5:30pm - we arrive at the birthing center and I get checked 8cm, 100%effaced, 0 station and I was ready to go at any time.
6:30pm - I start getting pushing type contractions, my water has yet to break and I can’t help but laugh in between contractions because we had just checked in to the hotel and now we’re here. Where was the nap I wanted?
6:45pm - I’m starting to push and after 2 contractions my water breaks.
7:00pm - after 15 minutes of pushing… Owen is born, 8lbs 12oz, 19.5 inches
Shortly after my baby boy was born I started getting light headed so they gave me some IV fluid to get me hydrated. I got all cleaned up (and stitched for a tear) and nursed my little Owen. My doula fixed me up something to eat as I waited for the IV to finish doing it’s thing. I tried to get up and almost fell so we had to get another IV bag going.
By 12am I was feeling 100x better. So we decided it was time for us to head home. We were originally going to stay at the hotel for the night but our room was so far out from the elevator there was no way I’d make it so Home Sweet Home it was for us.
As hard as labor and delivery is, I still feel recovery is the hardest. I can’t wait until that part is over and I can really enjoy life as a mother of two.
Contractions were about 20 minutes apart and started getting to about 15 minutes when I arrived for my weekly appointment with my midwife. I was checked and was dilated 1cm with no effacement and baby was at a station -3 (basically not far along at all). It was just a waiting game at this time but by the time I got home, my contractions had stopped all together. I wouldn’t feel anymore contractions until Friday of that week, which were about 15 minutes apart before they stopped in the evening.
My contractions would come an go as they pleased for the next week which was not very nice because they would stop me in my tracks. At my 39 week midwife appointment I checked in at a 2cm dilation with some effacement and a -1 station. At this point we took matters into our own hands and started Project Get Baby Out. PGBO basically consisted of sex, walking and Evening Primrose Oil. Trying to have sex at this stage is pretty damn ridiculous, it’s like directing traffic… not sexy at all. We were 5 days away from my due date and figured what the hell, might as well try everything we could to get the process started.
I was awaken by contractions early Friday morning, 3am to be exact, one day away from my due date. This seemed promising since contractions were about 10 minutes apart and were pretty strong. We continued our day like any other just trying to keep ourselves busy because most likely this was another false start. My MIL picked up Zo so we could go out and watch a movie and have some free time alone. We got home just in time to tuck Zo in for bed and after having a conversation with the midwife we decided to just head into the birthing center. My contractions were about 8 minutes apart by this time. I jumped in the shower, we packed our bags and were off at 12am.
We arrived to the birthing center and were told there was another woman in labor so they would check me out to see how far along I was. This time I was 3cm, 80%effaced and -1 station. I had the option to stay in labor room #2 or go home and relax until things progressed a bit more. Unfortunately we live 40 minutes away from the birthing center so we decided to get a hotel room nearby.
I was able to rest a bit but contractions were pretty strong and our neighbors were getting all freaky at 4am. We woke up bright and early on my due date and went for a walk and picked up some breakfast. My contractions were starting to stall out at this point and they had no rooms available for that evening (or anywhere else in the area) so I called my doula for back up because I was starting to doubt that today would be the day. We needed to have a plan so we met up for lunch and decided on getting checked one more time before heading home. I was now 4cm 100% effaced and 0 station. At this point I had the option to have my membranes stripped so I figured, what the hell… OUCH! All that needed to happen now was for me to dilate but this was taking a long time. My doula suggested I go get adjusted by a chiropractor (webster technique) so I did.
It was 3:30pm and I wanted to take a nap so we found a hotel that had only one room available for the night so we checked in and my husband went out to get me something to eat. At that moment I started getting contractions that were so strong but still about 7-8 minutes apart. I waited about 30 minutes to really trust that these contractions were going to stick. My husband got back and I told him I wasn’t feeling right because nausea started kicking in and I started shaking. We called the doula and midwife to describe this and they basically told me I was going through transition, that we needed to get to the birthing center asap.
5:30pm - we arrive at the birthing center and I get checked 8cm, 100%effaced, 0 station and I was ready to go at any time.
6:30pm - I start getting pushing type contractions, my water has yet to break and I can’t help but laugh in between contractions because we had just checked in to the hotel and now we’re here. Where was the nap I wanted?
6:45pm - I’m starting to push and after 2 contractions my water breaks.
7:00pm - after 15 minutes of pushing… Owen is born, 8lbs 12oz, 19.5 inches
Shortly after my baby boy was born I started getting light headed so they gave me some IV fluid to get me hydrated. I got all cleaned up (and stitched for a tear) and nursed my little Owen. My doula fixed me up something to eat as I waited for the IV to finish doing it’s thing. I tried to get up and almost fell so we had to get another IV bag going.
By 12am I was feeling 100x better. So we decided it was time for us to head home. We were originally going to stay at the hotel for the night but our room was so far out from the elevator there was no way I’d make it so Home Sweet Home it was for us.
As hard as labor and delivery is, I still feel recovery is the hardest. I can’t wait until that part is over and I can really enjoy life as a mother of two.
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